AI is changing how we build startups, but how can founders leverage it without their product becoming slop?
Too many early-stage entrepreneurs believe that faster prototyping automatically leads to better products. In reality, rushing to “ship something” can destroy product-market fit before it’s even tested.
In this Q&A episode, Yaniv Bernstein (ex-Google, ex-Airtasker) and Chris Saad (former Head of Product at Uber) answer your burning questions about startup strategy, from hiring and product design to breaking industry rules. They reveal how to separate real innovation from AI-washing and why “contrarian and right” is the only strategy that works.
In this episode:
- Discover which AI-adjacent startup opportunities are attracting real investor interest (and which ones to avoid)
- Learn how to rethink your MVP strategy in an AI-powered world without falling into the “build fast, fail fast” trap
- Understand when and how to break conventional startup rules to gain a genuine competitive edge
- Avoid the most common hiring mistakes founders make, including the “warm body” trap and hiring the wrong senior execs
- Identify the difference between a great product manager and a glorified project manager (and when to hire one)
The Pact
Honor the Startup Podcast Pact! If you have listened to TSP and gotten value from it, please:
- Follow, rate, and review us in your listening app
- Subscribe to the TSP Mailing List to gain access to exclusive newsletter-only content and early access to information on upcoming episodes: https://thestartuppodcast.beehiiv.com/subscribe
- Secure your official TSP merchandise at https://shop.tsp.show/
- Follow us here on YouTube for full-video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNjm1MTdjysRRV07fSf0yGg
- Give us a public shout-out on LinkedIn or anywhere you have a social media following
Key links
Get your question in for our next Q&A episode: https://forms.gle/NZzgNWVLiFmwvFA2A
The Startup Podcast website: https://www.tsp.show/episodes/
Learn more about Chris and Yaniv
Work 1:1 with Chris: http://chrissaad.com/advisory/
Follow Chris on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissaad/
Follow Yaniv on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ybernstein/
Producer: Justin McArthur https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-mcarthur
Intro Voice: Jeremiah Owyang https://web-strategist.com/
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